Dawn
by evherie
Summary: KuroxFai. Shounen Ai, slightly angsty, slightly fluffy.


Right at the second they had arrived in another world, they had been attacked. The assailants looked like some kind of apes or gorillas; they were human-sized and covered in coarse fur and seemed to be very aggressive and loud. It was night and it took a moment for Kurogane's eyes to grow accustomed to the lack of light and in the meantime, one of the things managed a surprisingly strong kick in the ninja's stomach that sent him sprawling in a nearby bush, just about managing to keep his head from connecting to a tree. He shook himself up and was satisfied in realizing that the kid and the princess had luckily landed a bit further away and were safe. Sakura had conveniently passed out, leaving Syaroan and Mokona to drag her away to safety and Kurogane and Fai to fight off the attack. The last Kurogane had seen of the wizard was the slender man bouncing from the clutches of one of the beasts with some gleeful taunt. It must have been nice to be able to make fun of everything.

But when Kurogane headed back to the direction, where most of the growls seemed to come from, briefly wondering if the creatures were truly stupid enough to think that one kick could kill him, he couldn't see Fai anymore, at least not right away, and the night was suddenly too dark. He pushed through the foliage and through another creature that stalked from behind a tree. Kurogane felt no victory fighting against such a brainless thing. Further away, he could see another group of the dirty brown things, there were perhaps six of them, all growling and suddenly he felt as if he was stabbed as he saw something distinctly blonde and blue being carried in their midst.

Fai was being lifted above their stretched arms toward the sky, as if an offering and they were bellowing, whether it was some kind of language or just unintelligible screaming, it was impossible to tell. Fai was limp and pale in the moonlight, his head stretching back in a painful angle. Kurogane could not tell if he was breathing but he did not look alive. Kurogane took off running.

The creatures lowered Fai again and bent over him and Kurogane could see, in a flash, what they were going to do. They pushed their noses against the pale skin and the light blue fabric covering Fai's arms, and one of them, the biggest and ugliest one, opened its mouth. There were sharp teeth, glinting in the moonlight despite being sickly brownish instead of white and Kurogane could feel the smell of its breath even if he was too far away to truly smell it. He could _sense_ it, disgusting and defiling against Fai's skin. They were going to eat the wizard. They were going to kill him and what if Kurogane was too far away, what if Fai was already gone, what if he was going to be torn to pieces by those disgusting man-things, what if Fai was no longer going to exist?

Kurogane screamed and anybody seeing or hearing him attack at that moment wasn't likely to ever forget it. The creatures turned their heads, their eyes beaming in stupid surprise, the mouth of the biggest one closing just inches before precious human skin. Kurogane had two of them down before the group had a chance to move. They were sluggish because of their size and Kurogane was very close to being insane. The creatures threw stones at him; big, heavy stones but he was quick to dodge and pull one of the soon-to-be-bodies to the line of fire. One of them tried to push a stick at him, a branch with rusty red leaves but he slashed the creature's arm off and the thing fell down, screeching in the shadows. The big one gave him a look and a snarl and then doubled over, the sword in its stomach twisting and maneuvering it away as it lifelessly threatened to fall over the slender white and blue heap now on the ground.

Kurogane had no time or the clarity of mind to check if Fai was alive. It was only pure luck that sheathing of his sword was an automated response; otherwise, the sword would have been forgotten on the ground. He picked the mage up, too agitated to even be careful, and took flight. He had to get away from here. Maybe there were more of those creatures, or some other creatures, maybe there was something else, anything, anything at all that would try to take Fai away from him and he could not let that happen, ever. He pressed harder and could not think if bones would be shattered against his chest, only that there would be bones and flesh against him and breathing, that chest rising. There was no choice. There could not be death in his arms. He would not let go. Shouts erupted somewhere behind him; Syaroan's surprised and slightly panicked voice and Mokona's high-pitched wailing, and some time later Kurogane would be ashamed of leaving them on their own, but right now, he could care less.

He didn't know how far he ran or for how long. The body in his arms was light and Fai's feet dangled against his arm, up and down, almost lazily, jokingly, like there would have been aware muscles moving them. One of Fai's pointy-toed shoes came loose and clonked away, pulling the sock with it, Kurogane didn't care. It was only a shoe. He was vaguely aware he was sweaty and perhaps panting when he realized a gloved hand trying to find its way up to his face and a slight, very slight whisper of his name against the wind. Eventually he stopped, staggering, realizing his legs would not have carried him that much further anyway. He slumped down against a tree and only then dared a look at the man pressed against himself.

Fai's eyes weren't open but he was breathing, even if it was shallow and raspy. Kurogane tried to fix the smaller man against his knees but the blonde head was slumping back still, the pale neck vulnerable and open. There was a tear on Fai's sleeve and skin, bite marks maybe and Kurogane shuddered. It had been so close. There was some blood but the wounds were nothing but scratches as far as he could see. He would not move or let go of Fai to check on the man's leg, as there was another rip on his thigh and faint outline of blood against his hip, through the cloth. Aside from his chest rising, Fai gave no other sign of life and Kurogane began to fear he had only imagined the hand reaching for his face and the broken whisper of his name. Panic began to seep back in.

"Fai! What happened? What's wrong with you?" he yelled and his voice was too loud in the stillness of the forest. He shook the smaller man, not so lightly, and the blonde head slumped again, hair spilling against the lips that seemed so bloodless now.

"Are you going to die?" It escaped from Kurogane's lips and he felt like he was drowning. He pushed his hand under Fai's back, pulling him up and gingerly touched the wound on his arm, the bare skin cold against his fingers. He felt desperation and he felt like crying but would not cry because it wasn't something men such as him did and the tears could not climb out of his throat, no matter what he would do or want to do. He could feel himself shaking, his body surging with adrenaline and he pulled at the man in his arms, closer and closer, hands tracing the wound, desperately seeking if there was something he was missing.

"If you die, I'll kill you", he whispered and knew what an idiot he was. He knew what was going to happen but didn't want to admit it, only moved his fingers back and forth against the skin peeking through the threads of light blue fabric. He didn't like men, had never liked men. Had never liked women either but had liked sex and had had sex with women since it was something that happened and was completely normal and he never thought about it, it just happened. But Fai had -

_And he pressed his face down, against Fai's neck, his nose touching the delicate ear, his breath puffing against it, warming the skin. Maybe he was crying, just a bit, but could not tell. He could feel the pulse, barely, but it didn't register either, only the skin against his and he was kissing another man, on the lips and even if the lips would not respond, they were still warm and soft and full under his guidance and he felt dizzy and light-headed and there was a sharp scent of blood maybe or of Fai–_

- But Fai had turned up in his life with his stupid smile and annoyed the hell out of him with his single-minded attitude of caring and not caring at the same time and it had become too difficult to think about anything but Fai. So difficult, in fact, that he had pushed the thought away and pretended; had become even grumpier than usual and that was a saying something when it came to Kurogane. For weeks he had had a burning desire to pull at Fai's hair and keep him from smirking and tilting that head in a way that was only a shade away from being disturbingly erotic and he had realized that he had come to define everybody as how like or unlike Fai they were. For weeks he had had to keep in check a perverse desire to trace the curves of Fai with his eyes, the odd choices of clothing that seemed to highlight the bend of the man's back and waist but not ass, though, back was alright, but ass was not and denial was lovely this time of year. For weeks, all Kurogane could see was blue and blonde, smirk and crunched up eyes, everywhere, in everything.

There was a slight, muffled sound beneath his mouth, now pressing insistently against Fai's lips, cheeks and neck and Kurogane realized that even if he was more than tempted to ravish Fai, he was not perhaps the only one who had a say in the matter. He pulled back; breathless and only then understood that the wizard must be alive to push him back. Fai's fingers were crunched up weakly against Kurogane's collar, his eyes half-mast. His lips were moving and Kurogane pressed closer, feeling himself flushing as the fear set in that maybe Fai actually did not want to be kissed by him. He wasn't used to being rejected and had to admit that he had thought, for a while now, that Fai felt some partiality towards him, since there had to be some reason why Fai thought it was actually amusing to annoy him and let him chase the mage around any house they would happen to live in. There also had to be something behind the pet names all the others were spared from and the purposefully careless poking and punching Fai was so fond of performing. Of course Kurogane had gathered many things about Fai's personality and past despite being convinced he'd always stay away from the wizard; he knew Fai wasn't probably any more keen than the ninja was to involve himself with anything that would cause him to be as vulnerable as a personal involvement would, the difference between their fear of commitment and show of true emotions sometimes being only the fact that what Kurogane tried to deny of ever even existing, Fai tried to avoid by exaggerating it and making light of it.

"Don't… don't touch my face..." Fai whispered then, his voice distorted a bit, as if he was not in full control of himself.

"I… I thought that maybe… I wasn't going to…" Kurogane didn't know how to finish. _I wasn't going to rape you? I want you so much I'm not sure I can stop? I love you? _It would be a cold day in hell when he would admit to thinking the last thought.

Fai's gloved hand tried to travel up his face but his coordination was off and his fingers ended up pushed against Kurogane's nose.

"No, the… twigs they had", he began again, pushing the words out by force and stopping for breath between words. It pained Kurogane to see how hard it was for him to speak. "It was… a sedative, I … I can't move... couldn't move... they pushed those things on my face… it's... in… in my skin… you can't… don't touch it…"

Kurogane realized then what the other man was saying and remembered the branch that had been waved at him. He also understood that the dizziness he had felt when kissing (_kissing, for crying out loud_, the thought seemed to make him blush and he was as far from the blushing kind as a person could possibly be) Fai was perhaps due to something less romantic that the sheer proximity of the other man. He lightly pressed his sleeve against Fai's skin, trying to brush off any residue there might be left and soon saw small red dots spotting the blonde hair and eyebrows, clinging on to the fine hair. He gathered up a corner of his cloak, brushing the sweet face. His hands shook worse now and his legs were aching. He never wanted to let go. He tucked Fai's bare leg under his cloak, the slender toes cold against his forearm.

"It'll be better, I'll fix it," he said, not knowing if it was true or not.

Fai tried a smile. "It... it's wearing… off… I just… need to wait." His grin spread slowly, lopsidedly and made him look odd with his head still lolling to the side. It nevertheless made relief wash through Kurogane. "You… you can't touch my… face, but… you can… touch other… places."

"I'm not going to suck you off in the middle of adamn forest!" It came out of Kurogane's mouth before he had any time to think, which sadly wasn't anything new, though. Fai made a very undignified snort and tried to laugh but it soon turned into a coughing fit, his breath sputtering, hitching in his throat. _No, no,_ Kurogane thought, _I'll even suck you off in front of the stupid mutant ape things if you want to, I'll do anything you want, just don't die_, but the coughing died down before he managed to voice his thoughts and Fai drew a long breath, his eyes clearing up now. Apparently coughing was just what was needed. He made brief eye contact and then turned away, smiling. It was a different kind of smile this time, his eyes avoided Kurogane and it seemed as if he was trying to suppress the surprised, embarrassed, unstoppably happy grin but settled on pressing his face closer to the other man chest when he couldn't succeed. The sincerity was too strange and heart wrenching for Kurogane. His head was spinning. He had kissed a boy. It seemed as if he was in love with somebody of the same sex. Love. Kiss. A damn boy. Damn Fai, who now slipped his fingers between the buckles of his white shirt and shakily opened two of them. He pointed at the revealed skin and said: "Silly Kuro…Here… you can touch... me... here, yes? No leaves… there."

And Kurogane thought, _what the heck_ and it wasn't as if he didn't want to and pressed his nose and lips against the skin, relishing the arms clinging to his neck and the soft, fine hairs against his face, the warm and alive skin that perhaps would belong to him now.

"I… I think… Kuro-wan kind of… likes me."

'Kuro-wan' considered biting the offered skin but kept himself in check. There would be time for that later, besides which he could hear distant footsteps and Mokona's voice repeating his name and didn't particularly want to make a show of his odd, newfound relationship or feelings. Fai only sighed and to Kurogane's ears, it actually sounded momentarily content.


End file.
